


In the night, we found each other

by twdsnsd18



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: F/F, Minayeon, Some Cuteness, i wrote this instead of my essay, not angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-01
Updated: 2019-12-01
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:27:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21627565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twdsnsd18/pseuds/twdsnsd18
Summary: Nayeon comes across Mina and they happened to click better than expected.Or, two strangers meet in the night and connect emotionally.
Relationships: Im Nayeon/Myoui Mina
Comments: 1
Kudos: 106





	In the night, we found each other

Her manager had said that it wasn't the end, that she still had way too much to show, that one scandal, one mistake in her 7 year-long career didn't have the capability to ruin her, if anything she'd be out of the public's eyes for a while but nothing less and nothing more. 

That was a year ago and to this day her schedule remained free and a message that brought good news never popped up on her phone. Im Nayeon, the once-beloved actress of the country, was now anything but that.

It was one time, at the discretion of the balcony of her home, a place she'd thought she was safe from the outside world. A non-celebrity friend had been wanting to introduce her to a friend for some time. So she met the friend, they had dinner at her apartment because she didn't want the attention in public, they clicked really well, and it felt nice to not be so on edge and highly stressed, even if momentarily. 

But she was lost in the moment, the gentle breeze and sunset were nice additions, and so shed leaned in and kissed the friend. 

And maybe it was a bad call of judgment on her part to do it outside, especially during the time she was working on one of the most popular dramas at the time, because she knew dispatch was a pain in the ass but to even go as far as staking outside her house was something she'd never thought dispatch would stoop so low to. 

Her mind hadn't been working correctly as it's been a long time since being intimate with somebody of her preference, a woman, even if it was only a couple of kisses but when she finally processed the fact that she'd kissed a woman in the open she already expected the impending disaster that was soon to be her career. 

At least they were considerate enough to release the photos after filming was finished. Apparently, as she found out through her manager, dispatch had offered to negotiate with her company but the price they were asking for to not ruin the image of Korea's current number one actress was way beyond what the company could afford. They consulted with her, and she knew it would be a major blow to her, despite them saying that it might not even be as big a deal to the public seeing as times are changing, but she still accepted her fate and told them she didn't care. 

Unlike her company’s expectations, she was trending but not for anything good. The posts made under articles were all the same. That she was disgusting, that she probably bought nights with women, that she probably participated in other distasteful activities. A few pictures of her kissing a girl on her balcony was all it took for tons of other rumors to start. 

The public was in complete disbelief because how could a lady that appeared prim and proper ever partake in such a foul act. She was no longer the actress who was an angel, now she was the despicable lesbian that slept with every woman she encountered. 

Many theories and speculations had been made after many decided to analyze her every interaction with a female in all the years of her career. It had even gone as far as asking her past classmates if she'd ever done anything with them. She consistently wished to yield the power to punch the shit out of people through a screen. 

Whenever she looked through comments (ignoring her manager’s plea to not do that) shed occasionally come across a positive one that made her night. They were very few but they all defended her and said they’d always be on her side because love was love, no matter what. But still, even though there have been many advancements in the past few years, a country like Korea would always be dominated by traditional values and having a popular actress that turned out to be riding with the rainbow gang was something that wouldn't be allowed so easily. 

So, she informed her company that since she was going to be drowned the pipe anyway she might as well enjoy the ride thus resulting in her confirming that she was indeed a women-loving woman, who had no intentions of hiding who she was nor would she tolerate any abusive commentary and would kindly sue.

Which brought her to roaming the streets at one in the morning because she's in a constant restless estate. Before the fame, she’d always go on late-night strolls to clear her head and she reasoned that after the fame it wouldn't hurt to give it a go again. 

In all her walks, she’d never come across a single person. The streets were empty. On her path shed pass by a few convenience stores that were just as dead. 

It felt like to her that she was the last person on earth. Sometimes it brought a sense of relief because it’d mean that all the hate giving persons would be gone. But it also brought pain because if she really were the last person alive, then her chance to come back and show society that nothing could keep her down would be pointless.

Deep in her wishful thinking, she nearly missed the figure on the bench she was walking by. A woman, who too was pensive. Would it be weird and creepy to sit next to her? Probably. But two women at night together was better than two alone.

She cleared her throat to make her presence known. The woman jolted, snapping her head up. The moonlight highlighted the traces of tears.

"Uh...hi."

"Do you know me?"

"Um, no, I don't but I was walking around and stumbled across you."

The woman nodded slowly, wiping her cheeks. "Oh..."

"Mind if I sit?"

"Go ahead."

Nayeon took a seat, making sure her distance was kept. “Since you asked, I might as well too,” through her peripheral vision, she saw the woman shift her head towards her slight. “Do you know who I am?”

The woman remained quiet for a few seconds then replied with, “No, am I supposed to?”

Surprising herself and the woman, Nayeon laughed out loud, the echoes of it flowing through the night. “Well, that's the first.”

“I’m sorry but who are you?”

“You’re not from here, are you?”

The woman shook her head. “I’m from Japan.”

A memory flurried to the forefront of her mind. Her first fan meeting that took place in both Korea and Japan. For some reason, she was highly popular in Japan. That was years ago.

Nayeon sighed. “Ah, Japan. I’ve made plenty of good memories over there. Even went to the Cherry Blossom Festival.”

“Did you like it?”

The mentioning of the event brings back warm, joyous feelings that Nayeon had stopped feeling long ago. She remembered filming some scenes of a movie in Japan and the festival had been going on at the same time. She had begged and begged her manager to let her go and she was in luck because they'd been given a free day for themselves.

“I did, it’s very beautiful.”

“Yeah, it is. But the meaning behind the blossoms is so sad. Are you familiar with it?”

“It symbolizes the impermanence of beauty and life. That nothing lasts forever,” murmured Nayeon, a phrase she’d engraved her mind when Dispatch had invaded her privacy.

“I’m Mina,” Nayeon shifted her gaze from the light post to the woman--Mina--and noted the small hand sticking out to her.

“I’m Nayeon.”

They shook hands and shared a small smile. It wasn’t the best way to meet a person; one aimlessly strolling and trying to figure out the reason for her life and the other crying on a bench at one in the morning. But a negative multiplied by a negative equaled a positive.

“This is weird,” said Nayeon.

Mina nodded slowly. “A bit...but it doesn't have to be. We can talk more, get to know each other.”

For the past yesr, Nayeon had ceased from forming any new relationships both friendly and romantic. She had said she was done hiding but it didn't make her any less scared. She withdrew socially, only speaking to family (which was still stiff due to her parents still getting used to her being gay) and the few close friends she had.

But for some strange reason that she couldn't exactly pinpoint, talking with Mina didn't scare her. 

“Why are you crying at one in the morning on a bench?”

Mina blinked then let out a soft chuckle that sounded very kind to the ears. “You noticed?”

“Hard not to, especially when your eyes are red and your cheeks are wet.”

“I’ve finally come to terms with something about myself and I want to tell my family but it scares me to death about how they’ll feel.”

If Nayeon was correct, she guessed that Mina was more like her than she expected. “I understand where you’re coming from.”

“You do?”

“A year ago, Im Nayeon, was forcibly outed to the entire country and had convinced herself that it was okay because she thought she was ready to finally be who she always knew who she was. However, contrary to what she thought would be relieving, the truth only brought more to keep her weighed down. In an instant shed gone from being loved and admired by everyone to being disgusting and disliked.”

She finished with a shaky breath. It would always hurt to talk about it. As much as she tried to be okay with where she was at the moment, the wounds would never heal all the way. 

“That sounds really sad.”

“Search up the name.”

Mina unlocked her phone, tapping away at it for a bit. Her eyebrows scrunched together as she focused on the screen. After a few minutes passed, she pulled away from her phone and laid a hand on Nayeon’s shoulder, squeezing softly. 

“I’m sorry that happened to you.”

“Yeah, it sucked hard but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right?”

“And are you?”

“Am I what?”

Mina offered a small smile. “Are you stronger?”

Nayeon wanted to say that she was but deep down, she knew it only made her weaker. Her strong will had crumbled the first half of the year and diminished completely the second half. Having your career be recked all because of a couple of photos taken by a company that made their money on doing just that, ruining lives, was a big blow to her self-esteem.

Not even all the comforting words of her friends and family saying that she would be okay or the reassurances of her company and manager that they’d make sure she’d earn her shine back, that they wouldn’t let her fall to her doom alone, that they’d fight for her even after she made the decision of confirming that she was lesbian helped lessen the hurt she suffered.

But Nayeon just met this woman. She just met Mina who happened to be struggling with her own battles. And Nayeon couldn’t destroy the slivers of hope for Mina that if Nayeon got through it then she would too. So she lied.

“I’m stronger than I take myself for. A lot happier too.”

It was all lies. But then, coming across Mina, who gave her a sweet smile for surviving, maybe they weren't lies for just tonight. Maybe, for this night, they’d be the truth.

“If it’s any comfort, I think it was admirable what you did. You owned up to your truth and that’s the bravest thing that anyone could do.”

Nayeon felt her cheeks warm up. She knew she was blushing. “I guess.”

“I wish I owned half the courage you have. I’m losing my wits over telling my family something while you told the whole country.”

“Mina,” Nayeon started. “Is what you’re planning to tell your family the same thing?”

As soon as the words slipped out, she regretted it. She didn’t know Mina like that to be assuming things. But her gut feeling never lied and was never wrong. Nayeon felt even worse when she saw the first tear slip down just before Mina turned away to let the rest of them fall into her the palms of her hands.

The sight is dead on to how Nayeon was the first few weeks the photos were released. Endless crying, constant worrying for her future, and the fear of owning up to it.

She didn’t know Mina. Not personally. But they were in similar boats. Two women who were hurting just for wanting to be themselves. And Nayeon always knew when someone needed a hug and right now, Mina needed one.

“If it’s okay with you, I’d like to give you a hug.”

A swift nod was her answer. So Nayeon scooted closer, pulled Mina into her, and secured her arms around her. She hoped this hug was enough to convey that Mina was not alone.

After some time passed, still in Nayeon’s embrace, Mina broke the silence with, “How did your parents react?”

“They were totally caught off guard, I mean, I don’t blame them. It’s still awkward, but they do their best to understand me. Sometimes they slip up and accidentally ask me about a boyfriend but they apologize and correct themselves. But you wanna know the one thing that never changed?”

“Hm?”

“They never fail to tell me that they love me and always will.”

“I don’t want my parents to look at me differently.” said Mina.

“That's not always a bad thing.”

Mina pulled away to peer up at her in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“If your family doesn't look at you differently after you told them, then that only means they’re gonna keep looking at you as the same Mina before revealing your truth.”

“That makes sense, I guess.”

“Just remember that the people that matter most are the ones who love you for you and not for who you love.”

With the way that Mina doesn’t break their gaze almost felt as if they were filming for a romantic scene in which the two leads would lean in and kiss for the first time. But this was the reality and Mina was somebody who she met just a while ago. Traumatized by what had ruined her career, Nayeon pulled back abruptly, in a fret that dispatch could possibly be feet away with their cameras ready to capture the moment again. But she knew that they weren’t and had moved on to their next victims. But the fear never went away so easily.

She counted from ten down in her head to pace her breathing before it became too hectic. She had little time to calm herself down before it becomes full-blown. A hand made its way on her back, stroking up and down. Like the touch of an angel, Nayeon was grounded and her heart steadied.

“Does this happen often?”

Nayeon looked at Mina. “Not regularly. I was thinking about what had happened and our proximity didn’t help. I guess it triggered my trauma.”

“I’m sorry, I’ll give you some space--”

She reached for the sleeve of Mina’s sweater, holding her in place. “No, it’s fine. I’ll be okay now. You actually helped me calm down.”

“I didn’t want to stand by uselessly. I figured if your hug helped me, then I should do the same.”

Something stirred inside her when Mina offered her another sweet, gummy smile. It was as if rays of light were beginning to shine upon her, fighting off the darkness and shadows she’d kept herself in.

“Where have you been?” she asked in complete wonder. The cringiness of her question hit a couple of seconds after when Mina chuckled. “Oh my god, that was so cheesy of me.”

“It’s okay...I’m okay with cheese.”

Then they both laughed at Mina’s choice of words.

Nayeon checked her phone for the time. It was nearing 3 already. She gaped at the fact that they’d been out for nearly 2 hours. 

“Where do you live?”

“Two blocks from here.”

Nayeon nodded but then it clicked. The only buildings that were nearby were the apartment buildings she lived in. It couldn’t be? Could it?

“Do you live at the apartment complex back that way?” she pointed with her thumb, preparing herself for Mina’s answer.

“I do, why?”

Oh. They lived in the same area. That’s nice. “I do, too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ve lived for a year already. It’s weird that we’ve never run into each other.”

It actually wasn’t because Naeyeon rarely went out during the day. All her time was spent in the night, a time in which she could evade the eyes of others. In other words, Nayeon had converted into an owl. She became a shut-in during the day and active during the night.

“It’s really late, we should probably head back.”

Mina checked the time on her phone and gasped. “Yeah, we should.”

They walked back to the apartment complex in complete silence. It was a comfortable one though. The type of quiet in which nothing needed to be said. 

In the elevator, Nayeon punched the button for floor 5. “What's your floor?”

“Six.”

She hit the button with 6 on it. “So you live above me, cool. Do you live alone?”

Mina shook her head. “I have two roommates.”

“Also Japanese?”

“Yeah.”

Nayeon watched the numbers light up each time they went up a floor. The elevator doors pinged open when the number 5 lit up. “I’ll see you around, Mina.”

“Thank you...unnie.”

She stumbled a bit, caught off guard. She couldn’t help it. Mina sounded absolutely adorable calling her unnie. Then she asked herself if this was really how the night was going to end. Something inside her urged her to stop the elevator doors from shutting.

So before they did, Nayeon stuck a hand between them and slid her body right back inside, the end of her lips tugging into a mischievous grin. She pushed the 8 button, the highest floor of the building, and asked, “Wanna watch the sunrise?”

“Sounds fun.”

“That was cute, you know.”

“What was?” Mina may have asked but Nayeon she knew what she was talking about due to her completely avoiding her eyes and instead shifting her eyes on everything but her.

“You called me unnie.”

“Is it...okay?”

“Absolutely, but why did you say thank you?”

Before she could get an answer, the elevator pinged and the doors opened. It was a bit colder higher up, causing them both to shiver slightly. The moon had shifted lower which meant they wouldn't have to wait long till the sun made its appearance.

Nayeon busied herself with trying to find suitable makeshift chairs for them. The only things that were up on the roof were a bunch of empty buckets and boxes. She sighed but picked the two cleanest buckets and made her way back to Mina.

“It’s not comfortable but it’ll at least support us.” she handed the cleaner bucket to Mina then sat on her own. “I regret not getting chairs from my place before acting on a whim to come up here.”

“I don’t mind.”

Neither did Nayeon but they totally downgraded from the bench they sat on earlier. But the shift of Mina’s mood and her own to a giddier one was totally worth her soon to be sore butt.

“So…”

“So…” echoed Mina.

“Do you plan on staying here permanently or is your stay just a temporary thing?”

“I...I don’t know yet.”

Nayeon had hopes that Mina wouldn’t leave but if she did then hoped it wasn’t soon. Not when she finally found somebody that she could empathize with and that made her feel less of all the bad things she felt. “Was your decision to come here based on wanting to get away from home?”

Mina hummed. “It was, actually. I just felt suffocated back home and needed a breath of fresh air.”

“How's that working for you?”

She nibbled her lower lip, appearing hesitant. “I met you, didn’t I?”

Oh. Nayeon’s brain malfunctioned in trying to dissect the meaning of her words. Was it flirtatious? Was it playful? Was it gratitude? Was it--wait. _‘Thank you...unnie.’_

Nayeon did her best to push down the nerves. She scooched herself closer then tugged Mina into what would be their second hug of the day. Against her hair, she whispered, “Never feel ashamed for being who you are.”

“Unnie?”

“Thank you, Mina. Thank you for being my breath of fresh air.”

She wouldn’t say she lacked a sense of romance but after working in the acting industry for so long, your level of romance--both cliche and sincere--definitely shot up. 

They don’t say anything for a while, letting time tick by as they waited for the sun to rise. It was weird that she didn’t feel weird being so comfortable with having Mina in her arms and she hoped it was the same for Mina. There are just some people you hit it off with from the start.

Before they both knew it, the moon has lowered completely and in front of them, the sun began to peak out. The sky no longer navy but now a lighter shade blue looked gorgeous with the tints of orange and yellow from the sun. Watching a sunrise would always be an experience that felt different each time and Nayeon has watched the sunrise multiple times in the past due to early schedules.

But watching the sunrise on her own time and with someone she didn’t work with, someone she now considered a friend because based on their heavy talk today, Nayeon and Mina were way past strangers and definitely beyond being acquaintances. 

“It’s so beautiful,” said Mina, jaw slacked slightly. 

The colors of the sunrise that cascaded against their skin suited Mina and emphasized her beauty even more. Nayeon couldn't stop staring. Nor did she want to. Mina was an entire sight to behold.

“Mina,” she called softly, and Mina gave her full attention. “How would you feel if I asked you out for a date?”

She hadn’t asked someone that question in what felt like ages but was only since the rupture of her career. It was a big step for her after shielding away from anything non-platonic. But she wanted to know more about Mina, learn her likes and dislikes, wanted to hear about her day from here on out, become acquainted with all her quirks. But if Mina declined, Nayeon would do her best to not let it stake her further down. She’d take rejection as an improvement because it meant she was trying.

But, the rejection was nowhere in sight with Mina’s response of, “That sounds nice, I’d really like that.”

It is said that nothing lasted forever. That not a single thing was permanent in life. The concept of forever was unattainable, unreal, but right here, with Mina, with the sun providing them warmth, made her want to face the world again and show everyone that she was who she was and she loved herself no matter what. It made Nayeon believe that forever could be real and it could be reached.

With the right person.

And Nayeon had an unexplainable feeling that perhaps Mina could be, hopefully would be, her right person. 

A year ago, Nayeon’s career had been destroyed. A year ago, Nayeon had confirmed that the pictures of her kissing another woman were true and that she was lesbian. A year ago, Nayeon withdrew into a shell to protect herself from ever being hurt again.

A year later, Nayeon had come across a woman who was crying on a bench, hurting in ways that were familiar to Nayeon. A year later, Nayeon had decided that even if society wouldn't give her another chance she would give herself another chance. To be better, to be happy, to enjoy her life because it’s what she deserved and it was what Mina deserved too.

Nayeon wanted to try again. And this time, she was going to fight back.


End file.
